Author: Young Investigators Review

The Young Investigators Review is Stony Brook University's undergraduate-oriented, all-inclusive science journal. Founded in 2008, our mission is to provide the student community with a way to learn more about the research currently being done on-campus by their faculty and fellow peers. We feature articles that span all fields, from Physics to Neuroscience, as well as original student research reports straight from the campus laboratories. Our journal offers aspiring talented future researchers and physicians a way to hone their science writing skills and spread word of their experiences to inspire incoming students to think about devoting their futures to the various fields of science.
Health

Leisure Time or Lost Time: How Negative Beliefs About Leisure Exacerbate Mental Illnesses

Ayesha Azeem ’23 Although it is enjoyable to take breaks away from work and obligations, certain factors can undermine this enjoyment, like tracked or scheduled leisure time. Leisure provides people with a sense of control in life and can reduce the risk of depression. These benefits, however, may be less impactful in people who believe that taking time out for leisure is wasteful. Rutgers University … Continue reading Leisure Time or Lost Time: How Negative Beliefs About Leisure Exacerbate Mental Illnesses

Young Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
Depression

Grip Strength as an Avenue of Depression Prediction

Sooraj Shah ’24 Depression is a mental state in which individuals often feel disinterested in everyday activities, preventing them from taking advantage of life’s opportunities. Interestingly, depression seems to take a physical form as well, with muscle strength and functionality being a main area of concern. Unfortunately, muscle failures often go untreated because the majority of people with depression tend to reject treatment. In a … Continue reading Grip Strength as an Avenue of Depression Prediction

Young Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
Psychology

The Role of Shamiri Intervention in Fostering Mindsets in Kenyan Adolescents

Thumyat Noe ’23 Adolescent depression and anxiety are prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, due to lack of mental health resources and social stigma surrounding mental illness, youths suffering from depression and anxiety often do not receive treatment. As such, it is important to improve the psychological well-being of these youths. One possible solution is to use theory-driven treatments called wise interventions, which draw on one’s … Continue reading The Role of Shamiri Intervention in Fostering Mindsets in Kenyan Adolescents

Young Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
education

Mindfulness Training Can Reduce Stress In University Students

Robyn Rutgers ’24 Psychological distress in university students has become a public health concern due to its increased prevalence. Evidence has suggested issues such as academic performance and financial struggles as potential causes of such distress. The increase in psychiatric disorders among university students presents a need for strategies allowing students to improve their psychological well-being. Research shows that mindfulness training in university settings produces … Continue reading Mindfulness Training Can Reduce Stress In University Students

Young Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
Psychology

Mentorship for Freshman STEM Students Can Improve Mental Health and Academic Success

Ayesha Azeem ’23 The fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have seen an influx of demand over the past few years, with not enough STEM graduates to meet society’s needs. This insufficiency is especially prominent in underrepresented groups in STEM, like women, African Americans, and Latinx. A key contributing factor to the shortage of STEM workers is the difficulty in retaining college students … Continue reading Mentorship for Freshman STEM Students Can Improve Mental Health and Academic Success

Young Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
Cognition

Green Tea Could Help Reduce Signs of Aging and Improve Cognitive Functions

Thumyat Noe ’23 Green tea is one of the most consumed beverages in the world. Consumption of green tea is associated with health benefits such as improved mental health, better global cognition memory, and reduced risk of neurocognitive disorders. Researchers have attributed beneficial effects of drinking green tea to catechins which are flavonoids with antioxidant properties. During the manufacturing and brewing processes, green tea catechins … Continue reading Green Tea Could Help Reduce Signs of Aging and Improve Cognitive Functions

Young Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
Psychology

Saving for a Rainy Day: How Weather Conditions Influence Investing

Robyn Rutgers ’24 Psychological research indicates that unpleasant weather may influence your physiological and psychological states, leading to pessimism, anxiety, and fatigue. In finance and economics, this weather-induced behavior can impact financial decisions and security prices. Dr. Danling Jiang, a professor of finance at Stony Brook University, studies the influence of psychology on financial markets. To evaluate the impact of experiencing unpleasant weather on immediate … Continue reading Saving for a Rainy Day: How Weather Conditions Influence Investing

Young Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
Depression

The Potential Biological Role of Latent-Phase Herpesvirus on Mental Health

Alex Moir ’23 Human herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) is one of the most prevalent herpesviruses amongst tested populations, with estimates placing worldwide infections near 100%. HHV-6B is neurotropic, establishing a lifelong infection in the brain and entering a period of latency in which replication and spread is inhibited. The activity of HHV-6B and its effects on the brain during latent infection are poorly understood. Examination of … Continue reading The Potential Biological Role of Latent-Phase Herpesvirus on Mental Health

Young Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
Psychology

The Role of Affective Cognitive Processing in our Emotional Wellbeing

Daphne Siozios ’23 Affective control is regarded as the ability to regulate emotions while attending to goal-oriented information. In other words, it is the capacity to respond to certain cognitive stimuli while experiencing the feeling of an underlying emotional state. Adolescents tend to undergo greater difficulty eliciting emotional responses due to affective experiences which may be hard to manage. It can be said that this … Continue reading The Role of Affective Cognitive Processing in our Emotional Wellbeing

Young Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
COVID-19

Nationwide RCT Single Session Interventions on Depression in Adolescents: COVID-19 edition

Daphne Siozios ’23 Once the coronavirus pandemic emerged, distress due to isolation caused an immediate surge in adolescent depression. While depression in youths was already regarded as the biggest psychosocial adversity prior to COVID-19, newfound disruption of social-emotional support because of direct seclusion resulting from the pandemic has led to elevated depression. By observing randomized controlled trials of brief, scalable interventions, it has been said … Continue reading Nationwide RCT Single Session Interventions on Depression in Adolescents: COVID-19 edition

Young Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
Depression

The Bright Side of Winter: Battling Seasonal Depression with a Positive Mindset

Ishmam Khan ’25 Seasonal Depression, clinically recognized as Seasonal Affective Disorder, is a recurrent pattern of seasonal depression or lack of exposure to sunlight during certain seasons, especially winter. Naturally, researchers have posited several hypotheses about how this disorder originated. One popular hypothesis of the origins of this condition is the “latitude hypothesis,” which states that the further a location is from the sun, the … Continue reading The Bright Side of Winter: Battling Seasonal Depression with a Positive Mindset

Young Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
Biology

Uncovering the Link Between SARS-CoV-2 and Vascular Dysregulation

Alex Moir ’23 SARS-CoV-2 is the virus currently driving the COVID-19 pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 has been shown to infect ciliated epithelial cells (EPCs), which line the upper respiratory tract, through a cell surface receptor known as angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), resulting in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). ARDS is characterized by both pulmonary and vascular dysregulation, which presents as shortness of breath, low oxygen, and poor … Continue reading Uncovering the Link Between SARS-CoV-2 and Vascular Dysregulation

Young Investigators ReviewLeave a comment